TOKYO, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Japan’s trade ministry is taking the Kobe Steel data fabrication scandal as a serious matter that affects trust in the country’s manufacturing industry, a senior official said on Thursday.

Akihiro Tada, director general at the manufacturing industries bureau of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, made the comment before a meeting with Kobe Steel executives.

Kobe Steel’s president, Hiroya Kawasaki, said his company would do the utmost to investigate the reason for the data fabrication and take prevention measures. (Reporting by Yuka Obayashi; Writing by Chris Gallagher)